Essex to provide service evaluation support to health care providers

The University of Essex will be providing valuable support to health services across the region thanks to the appointment of a service evaluation specialist.

Dr John Day will be taking up the role within our Institute for Public Health and Wellbeing (IPHW) alongside his teaching and research responsibilities.

Dr Day, from the School of Health and Social Care, will use his previous experience in service evaluations to provide transformative feedback and offer up potential improvements and solutions to any issues identified.

NHS Trusts, charities and other health service providers will have access to support from the IPHW, including expertise in mental health, social care, obesity and weight management and dementia care.

Dr Day, whose own research covers obesity, men’s health and physical activity, hopes the role of service evaluation specialist will grow over time, and cover a wider geographic area while working with national charities and organisations that are based in the East of England.

He said: “Unlike pre-designed ‘off-the-shelf’ service evaluations that apply rigid criteria to assess the immediate effectiveness of health and care services, our offering takes a more fluid approach tailored to the specific contexts in which services operate.

“In doing so, it is a key part of my role to identify the broader and often unintended social consequences of service provision and delivery, which may not be immediately apparent to service providers.

“Very much aligned with the University vision of challenging conventional wisdom, my new position is an exciting opportunity to further develop the Essex way of evaluating health and care services with local, national and global partners.”

For more information, contact DR Day via john.day@essex.ac.uk.